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Laying facedown on the floor, Shotaro painted heavily. He wasn't a weak guy, but holy hell, the Karsuno boys practiced hard. In his defense, he didn't have much game time experience. Back in middle school, people, well minus Kageyama, walked around him on eggshells. They didn't let him run or do anything.
Sometimes, he wanted to scream. Being mute had nothing to do with his athletic abilities.
His legs felt like jelly because of how many times they made him spike or block. All feelings in his hands were gone because Coach Ukai got extremely excited when he heard that Shotaro was ambidextrous.
Shotaro was so concentrated on soaking up the coolness from the floor he didn't notice Tanaka and Nishinoya standing over him.
"Hey, Shotaro, you okay down there?" Tanaka asked, his voice tinged with amusement.
Nishinoya crouched down, his grin wide and mischievous. "You look like you've been hit by a truck."
The boy flopped over like a fish, lying on his back. Shotaro lifted his head slightly, his face flushed from exertion. He pulled out his notebook with trembling hands, scribbling a quick note. 'I am dead :('
So cute..! The two second-years thought, reading the note.
Tanaka burst out laughing, clapping Nishinoya on the shoulder. "See, Noya? We've killed him. First practice and he's already calling it quits!"
Nishinoya shook his head, still grinning. "Nah, he's just being dramatic. You'll get used to it, Shotaro. Trust me, it gets easier. Plus, you have your awesome senpais to keep you afloat," Noya spoke as he pulled Shotaro into a seated position.
Shotaro let out an airless chuckle, nodding at Nishinoya's words.
Just then, Hinata and Kageyama walked over, both looking equally tired but energized in their own way. Hinata looked down at Shotaro, his usual wide grin on his face. "You did great today, Shotaro-kun! I can't believe how high you can jump."
Kageyama, holding a water bottle, offered it to Shotaro. "Here," he said in his straightforward manner. "Drink up. You need to recover."
Shotaro gratefully accepted the water, taking small sips. It felt like the first steps into the ocean when it was so cold, but it felt so good compared to the burning sun. To put it in short, the cool liquid was refreshing and helped to revive his energy. He gave Kageyama a nod of thanks, managing a tired smile. Kageyama sat down next to Shotaro; almost instinctively, Shotaro placed his head on Tobio's shoulder.
Kageyama stiffened momentarily, then relaxed, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. It felt like old times, back when they were in Tobios' old room, waiting for Miwa to give them their snacks. The rest of the team watched this interaction with a mix of curiosity and amusement.
Tanaka and Noya looked at each other. Tanaka nudged Nishinoya. "Look at that, Noya. This is the same kid who doesn't know how to do a freakin' high-five," he said, referring to Kageyama.
